EWING, NJ – Late goals by Nick Gkionis (Jackson, NJ) and Steve Liebezeit (Pompton Lakes, NJ) could not erase a three-goal deficit as The Stevens Institute of Technology’s comeback bid fell just short in a 3-2 loss to The College of New Jersey Wednesday night in men’s soccer action at Lions Stadium in Ewing, NJ. The Ducks fall to 0-2-2, while the Lions remain undefeated at 4-0-1.

A pair of goals in a three-minute span midway through the first half gave the Lions a 2-0 advantage early. TCNJ’s Nick Ruskoski fed Tim Dudek for the Lions’ first score before Ruskoski headed in a goal three minutes later off a cross from Craig Langan in the 29th minute.

TCNJ built a 3-0 advantage on Dudek’s second goal of the game in the 60th minute.

Stevens finally got on the board in the 71st minute as senior Brian Marks (Yardley, PA) found Gkionis, who headed the ball in for the Ducks’ first goal of the season. The goal ended a 380-minute scoring drought for Stevens to begin the season. It took less than 15 minutes for the Ducks to strike again as freshman Stuart Johnson (North Wales, PA) fed Liebezeit to bring Stevens within a single score with just over five minutes remaining in the contest.   

The Ducks were feverishly in search of the equalizer, but could not capitalize on a corner kick in the final minute, with the Lions escaping with the narrow victory. 

Stevens outshot The College of New Jersey, 16-12, and held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks. Junior Chris Celentano (Newton, NJ) made three saves for Stevens, while Matt Kasperavicius recorded three stops for TCNJ.  

The Ducks return to action this Saturday and Sunday when they travel to FDU-Florham on Saturday at 1 p.m. and Vassar on Sunday at 2 p.m.